A Family of His Own
by One More Disaster
Summary: Nothing is as it seems. Harry has family Dumbledore isn't aware of. Family that will change the future of the Wizarding World. Light is Dark; Dark is Grey. Gabriel sends Harry, Deanna and Eliot, some friends and former enemies to a special room to read "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." HP/Spn/Lvg/AtS crossover. fem!Dean. (Repost from my old account, Gu4rd14n-Kn1ghts.)


**Fandoms:** _Harry Potter_, _Supernatural_, _Leverage_, _Angel: the Series_, and minor _Buffy: the Vampire Slayer_  
**Characters:** Harry Potter; Tom Riddle; Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy; Seamus Finnegan; Pansy Parkinson; Cedric Diggory; Susan Bones; Hermione Granger; Neville Longbottom; Fred and George Weasley; Luna Lovegood; Padma Patil; Daphne Greengrass; Eliot Spencer; Nate Ford; Sophie Devereaux; Parker; Alec Hardison; Tara Cole; Deanna Winchester; Gabriel; Angel; Drusilla; Spike; Cordelia Chase; mentions of miscellaneous other characters from all five fandoms  
**Pairings:** Eliot/Deanna, Nate/Sophie, Blaise/Draco, Lucius/Narcissa, Cedric/Susan, Spike/Drusilla, Angel/Cordelia; onesided Hardison/Parker  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own any person, place or thing you may recognize.  
**Rating:** M  
**Warnings:** language; violence; mentions of past abuse; mentions of past torture; Dumbledore and Weasley bashing; minor Sam bashing  
**Spoilers:** all seven _Harry Potter_ books, the first five seasons of _Supernatural_, the first three seasons of _Leverage_, all of _Buffy: the Vampire Slayer_ and all of _Angel: the Series_  
**Summary:** Gabriel sends Harry, Deanna, Eliot and several friends and former enemies to a special room to read _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_.  
**Author's Note:** So, I absolutely love stories where various characters gather together to read the _Harry Potter_ books. They're one of my guilty pleasures, so I decided to do one of my own. Let me know what you think. I kinda manipulated the various canons to fit in with the _Supernatural_ timeline. Everything should be explained eventually, but if you have any questions in the meantime, go ahead and ask.

Oh, and before everyone bitches at me for the Sam bashing, please note that it says _minor_ Sam bashing. It's not going to last forever. It's just that, at present, Sam said yes, and has been running amok with Lucifer riding him. Deanna still loves him more than almost anything (about equal with Eliot and Harry at the moment, to be honest), but she's hurt and feels betrayed by the decisions he's been making since she got out of Hell. Also, Gabriel and Eliot, and even Harry to some extent, are extremely protective of her, so they're not really Sam's biggest fans at the moment. Their opinions of Sam are going to influence the others in the room, seeing as they have never met Sam, and Deanna's judgment is rather questionable at the moment.

Never fear, however, Sam will be redeemed in the end and there will be a happy reunion between him and Deanna. Well, as happy as Winchesters ever get, considering the major guilt that the two of them will be carrying around by that time.

Anyway, let me know what y'all think.

**Edit: **Hey, for those of you who think this story is familiar, you're right. I originally started posting this story back in 2010, over under my other username. However, as I was working on later chapters, I realized that I had Deanna in no way, shape or form reacting as badly as she should have, considering the backstory that I've given her. So, I have rewritten the story, adding an average of about 9 pages worth of commentary per chapter, and have reposted it under my new username.

Let me know what y'all think.

Fae

* * *

**Title: **The Boy Who Lived  
**Word Count: **11,892

It was the oddest situation of his life.

Which- considering some of the odd situations he had gotten himself into over the years- was saying something.

However, this definitely topped the list.

He had gotten off the train, said goodbye to the few friends he still had left after the events of this past year, then watched several members of the Order threaten his relatives.

He had known that would end up blowing up in his face, and it almost had.

Fortunately, Harry Potter had family that the Order and the Dursleys didn't know about. Family that actually cared about him. Family that wanted him. Family that loved him.

His grandmother Evans had an older sister who had married an American man years ago. Both Deanna Campbell, and her daughter Mary, were dead, but Mary had had two children before she was killed.

Now, Harry had never met the younger of the two, but he had met Deanna Winchester the summer after his third year. She and her husband, Eliot Spencer, had arrived at Privet Drive the day after he got home from school, and whisked him off to America, where he had been reunited with his godfather, Sirius Black.

Sirius had taken the three of them to an American branch of Gringotts, where they sat through a reading of James and Lily Potter's wills.

Both wills clearly stated that Peter Pettigrew had been the secret keeper, and that if anything were to happen to them, then Sirius was to raise Harry. If Sirius were unavailable, Harry was to be raised by Deanna, overseen by her father, John Winchester.

There was a list of three other families who should take him in if the Winchesters were unable to: Frank and Alice Longbottom, Mark and Harriet Bones, and Xenophilius and Selene Lovegood. Both wills explicitly stated that if none of these families were able to take Harry, then he should be placed in an orphanage, and that under absolutely no circumstances was he to be placed with Vernon and Petunia Dursley.

Deanna, Eliot and Sirius had all looked at each other before Sirius nodded. Deanna and Eliot had then immediately signed the documents needed to take guardianship. After that, they learned some information that absolutely infuriated Sirius and Deanna. It even pissed Eliot off, although Harry had no clue exactly what all it meant.

When they finished at the bank, the four of them spent the summer traveling the country, helping Deanna with her job. Harry had learned so much that year. Definitely more than he had ever learned in his Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons.

Not only had Sirius taught all three of them about the Wizarding world, Deanna and Eliot had taught him and Sirius how to defend themselves without magic. Deanna had also taught them how to hunt.

The four of them had hunted vengeful spirits, demons, witches, vampires, shapeshifters, and even two muggle werewolves. To both Harry and Sirius' relief, the muggle werewolves were nothing like Moony. The witches were different, too. They didn't use wands. Instead, they did all these weird, complicated and disgusting rituals to perform their 'magic'.

Harry didn't consider it true magic, since they weren't actually doing it themselves, and instead it was the power of the demon they had summoned that was causing things to happen.

Eliot also taught them how to do his job. Well, sort of.

It was more of a combined effort as all three of the adults worked together to teach Harry how to pick locks, pick pockets, and tell convincing lies. He learned how to create aliases and use those to get the information he needed.

They taught him surveillance techniques and how to retrieve items that he needed. They also taught him how to break out of jail, although they did say that they didn't want him to need to use that until he was older.

At the end of the summer, the four of them had returned to England, putting a glamour on both Sirius and Harry so they could all visit Diagon Alley together. They showed up at Privet Drive just in time for Deanna and Sirius to place memory charms on the Dursleys and for Harry to greet the Weasleys as they arrived to pick him up for the World Cup.

He wasn't entirely sure how they managed it, but the three adults had been at the Cup as well, which meant Harry got the chance to watch the Cup twice: once with his family, and once with the Weasleys and Hermione.

They had left before the Death Eaters attacked, unfortunately. Harry knew Deanna and Eliot probably would have been able to catch Crouch, Jr. then, which would have stopped the events of fourth year from happening.

All three of them had been furious when they found out that Dumbledore was forcing Harry to participate in the Tournement. After talking it over, however, they had decided not to do anything about it. They weren't ready to take down Dumbledore and the Ministry. They didn't have all the pieces in place yet.

They did stay in England, however, renting a house in Hogsmeade so they could be close to him, offering as much training and assistance as they could give him.

They had been unable to help him when the portkey took him and Cedric to the graveyard, but their training had kept both of them alive. Unfortunately, it didn't stop Voldemort from being resurrected, although it could have been worse.

The summer between fourth and fifth year had found them once again traveling and training, only this time, they traveled around Europe and Asia, instead of the United States.

Two days after his fifteenth birthday, they had been attacked by dementors.

Harry knew Sirius had a bad reaction, due to the time spent in Azkaban, and he hadn't expected Eliot to be much use, since he couldn't actually see the dementors, but he had been shocked to see Deanna collapse next to Sirius. That had left Harry as the only one able to defend them. He cast his patronus, grabbed onto the three adults, and called out the activation phrase for the portkey they insisted he wear since the graveyard.

When they arrived at the safehouse, he hurriedly grabbed chocolate and handed it out. Fortunately for him, he had been using the custom wand Deanna had gotten him, which meant that the British Ministry couldn't trace the underage magic.

Fifth year had definitely been interesting. The Ministry had spent the whole summer, and the entire school year, denying Voldemort's return, and doing everything possible to discredit him and Cedric. On top of that, Dumbledore had been ignoring him.

Everything finally came to a head a month ago, when Harry had had a vision of Sirius being tortured at the Department of Mysteries. He had tried contacting Sirius on the two-way mirror, but he hadn't been able to get a hold of him. He couldn't reach Deanna or Eliot, either.

So, in desperation, he had taken off for the Ministry on the back of a thestral, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna following him. He had been so proud of Hermione and Neville. Neither one of them liked flying, yet here they were, flying from Scotland to London in the middle of the night, on the back of animals that most kids their age couldn't actually see.

They had reached the Ministry, only to find out the whole thing was a trap. Voldemort had sent him a fake vision to lure him there in order to get a prophesy sphere from the Department of Mysteries. As a result, the six kids had ended up getting into a fight with the top twelve Death Eaters.

By the time reinforcements arrived, everyone except Harry and Neville had been injured to the point of being taken out of the fight. Even then, Neville had had a broken nose, and a broken wand. He had ended up using Hermione's wand.

In the resulting battle, Harry had watched helplessly as Sirius had fallen through the Veil of Death. He had been so angry that he had chased after Bellatrix and been tempted to cast an unforgivable. The only thing that stopped him was the look on Deanna and Eliot's faces if they ever found out. Instead, he had tackled the insane witch, punching her in the face and breaking her jaw.

Voldemort and Dumbledore had shown up, and the two of them had fought. Voldemort had possessed him, trying to get Dumbledore to kill him, but it hadn't worked. In the end, Harry had managed to drive Voldemort out, thinking of the love he had for his friends and new family.

He didn't remember much else beyond that point, but he did remember Dumbledore telling him what the prophecy sphere contained. He also remembered losing his temper and destroying Dumbledore's office.

He had spent the next week moping around the castle, still unable to get in touch with Deanna and Eliot.

The results of the night surprised him. Sure, everyone had been forced to admit that he hadn't been lying about Voldmort coming back, but they still blamed him for something.

Ron and Ginny blamed him for the injuries they received. Almost everyone else ended up siding with the two Weasleys, especially once it got out that Voldemort had possessed him.

He did still have a few supporters inside the school, though. Hermione, Neville and Luna, of course. Cedric Diggory and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff. Padma Patil from Ravenclaw. And- much to Harry's shock- Seamus Finnegan. Apparently Seamus felt incredibly guilty for believing the lies that the _Prophet_ had spread around, and was making up for it by refusing to abandon Harry again.

He had at least two supporters outside the school, too. Fred and George Weasley had been quick to write him a letter, telling him that they didn't believe Ron and Ginny, and that they would always stand behind him.

He was grateful. He really liked the Weasley twins.

When he arrived at Kings Cross Station, he found out that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley blamed him for their children's injuries, while Remus Lupin blamed him for Sirius' death.

Both reactions had cut him deeply, and he could only assume that Deanna and Eliot must feel the same way, since they still hadn't responded to any of his attempts to contact them, and they hadn't shown up at the Station to pick him up.

To his surprise, however, they had shown up after the Order finished threatening the Dursleys. They had chased his relatives off and taken him to Gringotts where they sat through a private reading of Sirius' will.

Sirius left two million galleons to Remus, along with a photo album of their days at Hogwarts. He had left two million galleons and a Black family property to Andromeda Tonks, since he was unable to reinstate her into the family. He left another one million to Andromeda's daughter, Nymphadora.

Number twelve Grimmauld place had gone to Narcissa Malfoy, meaning that the Order was no longer able to meet there. Hermione received a collection of books from the Grimmauld Place library, along with half a million galleons, while the Weasleys as a whole had received two million galleons. The twins had also received the Marauders' prank notes.

Finally, Harry had received twenty-five million galleons, and all of the reminders Sirius had had left of James and Lily.

Harry had been surprised that Deanna and Eliot hadn't received anything. That surprise had only increased when the two of them began laughing.

It turned out that Sirius and Eliot had performed a blood brother ritual. The result was that Eliot was Sirius' heir, and the new Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Harry couldn't help but join in the laughter at the final prank Sirius had played on the Wizarding world: a muggle was the new Head of one of the darkest pureblood families in the Wizarding world.

The final surprise came when the goblin produced adoption papers.

Apparently it was something the three adults had been talking about for a while, in an attempt to keep Harry safe from Dumbledore. After discussing it for a few minutes, Eliot, Deanna and Harry had signed the papers and performed the adoption ritual.

Harry kept his green eyes, but his eyesight improved and his hair lightened a little. It became a little bit redder, and a lot more manageable, which meant he was no longer a mini-clone of James Potter.

Once their business in Diagon Alley was finished, they headed out into muggle London to go shopping. They would do all of their Wizarding shopping in either America or France, as Deanna didn't like the British Wizards, but Deanna was determined to get Harry a brand new muggle wardrobe as well.

It took them several hours, but when they were finished, Harry left the store wearing a pair of comfortable jeans, a grey graphic tee shirt, a pair of leather boots, and a red leather jacket.

Deanna had just shrunk their purchases and put them in her pocket when it happened.

Harry had known that his new parents had a lot of enemies. They had been attacked by a few in the past, but they had never been attacked by this many at once. He helped out where he could, but he was nowhere near as good as his new mum and dad, and he couldn't do magic in front of all these muggles.

In the middle of the fight, there was a bright flash of light, and all of them were transported out of the alley.

They found themselves in a large room, surrounded by a bunch of other people. The three of them ignored the others, however, focusing instead on finishing the fight with the thirteen thugs who had been dragged along with them.

Deanna and Eliot finally took down the last two men, standing back to back in a defensive stance, Harry between them as they took in the rest of the room.

"What, in Morgana's name, is going on?"

They turned and Harry growled low in his throat when he saw Voldemort standing there with the three Malfoys and Severus Snape. He took a step forward, his wand in hand, but Eliot gripped his arm, pulling him back and letting Deanna move in front of them, her wand in a battle ready position.

Voldemort and the three Death Eaters copied her motion, while Narcissa Malfoy pushed her son behind her. Deanna snarled and cast a spell at Voldemort. That seemed to be the cue, and spells began flying through the air.

Harry wanted to help his mum, but Eliot pulled him backwards. They stood protectively in front of three women and two men that Harry vaguely recognized, but couldn't put names to the faces.

To his surprise, several shields seemed to have shimmered into existence. One circled Voldemort and Deanna so that no one could interfere with their duel, while another separated the two groups of spectators.

Not that either one stopped the Death Eaters from trying to send curses at them.

When he was confident that the shield would protect them, Harry turned his attention to the duel that Deanna and Voldemort were engaging in.

He had always been told that Dumbledore was the only person that Voldemort feared, and he had believed that during their duel at the Ministry last week. However, he had a feeling that Deanna had just joined that list.

He watched in shock and awe as Deanna more than kept up with Voldemort, hurling spells and curses at him just as fast and powerful as he was hurling them back.

She kept conjuring things to block the killing curses sent her way, never missing a step. At one point, Voldemort summoned the same fire-whip Dumbledore had used on him at the Ministry, and swung it at her, while firing a killing curse at her.

Instead of trying to block both, she spun on her heal, disapparating out of the way, and reappearing behind him. He barely had time to spin around in time to block the cutting curse she sent at his back. With that new dimension thrown in, the duel became even more furious. Both of them began apparating around the inside of the shield, trying to predict the other's movements.

Deanna finally got off a lucky shot at the spot Voldemort had just reappeared in. It would have taken off his head if it had connected, but before it could, a man appeared between them.

He waved one hand and the curse dissipated harmlessly.

"What the hell, Gabe?!" Deanna growled, her wand aimed directly at Gabe. "Get out of the way!"

"Sorry, Dee. I can't let you hurt him."

"Why the fuck not?! He killed James and Lily!"

"Did he?" Gabe asked a light smirk on his face.

Deanna faltered, and her wand dropped slightly. "What?" she asked.

Gabe just smirked at her.

"You better not be saying what I think you're saying," Deanna warned, a low growl in her throat.

His smirk widened and Deanna's eyes narrowed.

"That son of a bitch! I'm gonna kill him!" she yelled, turning on her heel and stalking towards the door that was in one wall. "I'm gonna tear him apart!"

"Deanna, no!" Gabe called, hurrying after her and wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"Let go of me, Gabe!" she growled, struggling against him. "I'm gonna kill him!" She was twisting and turning frantically, jerking her arms and kicking her legs, trying to break free from the grip Gabe had on her.

"You can! You can! I swear! Just not yet!"

"Why the fuck not?!"

"They need to understand. You kill him now, the public will make him out to be a martyr, and you a villain. You can't just go storming in there and kill him. You have to be subtle and cunning. You have to ruin his reputation first, otherwise killing him will be pointless."

Deanna was slowly calming down, although she still looked furious. "All right," she said. "All right," she repeated. "We'll destroy him first. But then I'm tearing him apart," she growled.

Harry could have sworn her eyes flashed white for a moment.

"Can I let you go now?"

She slumped in his arms. "Yes," she said. "I'm calm."

"Good."

He released her and turned to the rest of them with a cheerful grin.

"Eliot?"

"Not now, Nate," Eliot growled at the older of the two men.

"That's his 'men with guns' voice," the younger of the two blonde women said, smiling happily.

"Thank you, Parker. We're aware of that," the brunette woman said, sounding normal, unlike the other two, who sounded American.

"What is going on?" Voldemort asked.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "You mean you didn't bring us here?" he asked, confused.

"The Dark Lord has better things to do with his time, Potter," Snape said with a sneer.

Harry sneered back, but before he could say anything, Gabe spoke up.

"It was me, actually," he said. "I have brought the thirteen of you here because I believe that you have a common goal."

"He killed my parents and keeps trying to kill me!" Harry exclaimed, pointing at Voldemort.

"Mm. Not entirely true," Gabe replied, a mischievous smirk on his face. "There has been an unfortunate miscommunication that has led to quite a few unnecessary deaths. However, I have here a series of books that will provide the information needed for you to join forces and take down the true Dark Lord."

Eliot narrowed his eyes, staring at Deanna's back. "Dumbledore, you mean," he said.

Harry looked up at his dad, confused.

"What?" Narcissa asked.

"Yes," Gabe confirmed. "You, Deanna and Sirius have done an excellent job of laying the groundwork, but you will need help to bring him down completely. You have to destroy the image before you can destroy the man."

"Deanna?" Eliot asked.

She turned and looked at him for a moment, before turning to look at Harry. "It's up to you, Harry," she said. "We're not going to force you to do anything you don't want to. You know that. If you don't want to join forces with them, that's fine. I'll go kill him right now. However, I will say this: while Gabe can be very malicious when the mood strikes him, he has never intentionally led me astray."

Harry thought for a minute, studying his mum. She would do it, too. He knew she would. She would march down to Hogwarts right now, and kill Dumbledore, regardless of the consequences.

He glanced at his dad and his enemies, then nodded decisively. "Let's do it," he said. "With Siri dead, we're going to need all the help we can get. The enemy of my enemy, and all that."

Eliot smirked. "True. However, do not take that to mean you are safe unless they specifically call a truce."

Voldemort was watching them all with a calculating look in his eye. "I will admit to being curious, and I will bite," he said. "Harry Potter, I would like to propose a temporary truce to you and your friends for the duration of this forced meeting. Afterwards, we will decide if we wish to permanently join forces, or go our separate ways," he said, stepping forward and offering his hand.

Harry hesitated, looking up at Deanna and Eliot. They nodded slightly, encouraging him to accept the truce.

"Very well," he said, stepping forward. "A temporary truce between everyone who enters this room, for as long as they are in this room, until we have all the information and can decide where to go from there."

The two of them shook hands and everyone relaxed their stances, while the shields dissipated completely.

"Right," Deanna said, looking at Gabe. "You said you had books for us to read?"

"I do. I believe that all of you, especially the Slytherins, will find the information contained in these books to be very enlightening. First, however, I believe introductions are in order, as not all of you know each other. I am the archangel Gabriel, also known as Loki. Time outside of this room has been slowed down so that you will not be missed. Everything you need will be provided. This includes food, clothes, calming potions, nutrient potions and stress relief activities."

"Why would we need those?" Deanna asked, narrowing her eyes at the angel.

"All in good time, my dear," he replied with a smirk.

Her eyes narrowed even further, but Voldemort cut her off.

"I am Lord Voldemort. Contrary to popular opinion, I am not foolish enough to think that I can destroy all muggles and muggleborns. My goals were actually to keep the Wizarding world from ever being discovered by the muggles."

"Lucius Malfoy. I am Lord Voldemort's second in command. If I had known what that diary was, I never would have given it to the Weasley girl."

"Narcissa Malfoy. I despise my sister, Bellatrix, and wish my cousin had cast her out of the Black family."

The Spencers exchanged glances and Eliot nodded, although no one noticed this.

"I am Draco Malfoy. I don't actually hate Potter or Granger. I admire them both very much. The only reason I pick fights with them is because of the Weasel."

"Completely understandable," Harry muttered, sending Draco a small smile, which was hesitantly returned.

"Severus Snape. I loathe Dumbledore with every fiber of my being. The only reason I remain at Hogwarts is because I swore an oath to do my best to protect Lily's son."

"You knew my mother?" Harry asked, confused.

"She was my best friend," Snape admitted.

Deanna spoke up. "Deanna Winchester," she said. "My mother and Lily were cousins."

"Erm," Harry began. "I'm Harry. The only thing I hate more than my fame is my relatives."

That comment earned him calculating looks from the Slytherins, but Eliot continued before anyone could say anything.

"Eliot Spencer. I know over a dozen ways to kill someone without magic."

"Oo, oo! Me next!" The blonde woman Harry vaguely recognized raised her hand, bouncing in her seat slightly. "I'm Parker. Just Parker. And I am a thief."

"My name is Alec Hardison," the black man said. "I love World of Warcraft."

_World of What?_ the Slytherins mouthed, looking at each other in confusion.

"Hello, I am Sophie Devereaux," the brunette woman said. "I am an actress."

Harry and Draco were the only ones who saw the face Eliot made. _No, she's not_, he mouthed, his eyes wide in horror.

The two teens looked at each other and had to hide their sniggers.

"Tara Cole," the older of the two blondes said next. "I am also an actress."

"Nathan Ford. I am a jack of all trades. I can do a little of everything."

"Excellent," Gabe said. "Here's the first book, and I do believe that you should read first," he said, tossing the book at Deanna.

_"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone?"_ she read off the cover.

"What?" Harry asked, staring at her with wide eyes.

She shrugged. "That's what it says." She flipped it over and skimmed the back. "Apparently someone wrote a book about your first year at Hogwarts. And I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the rest of the books Gabe wants us to read are about the rest of your time at school."

"How exactly is this supposed to give us information we need to take down Dumbledore?" Lucius asked.

"You'll see," Gabe said. "I'll be sending in the next group of people in chapter six, and the last group in chapter seven. Personally, I'll be popping in and out as needed, but in the meantime, I believe I'm going to go have some fun with everyone's favorite little antichrist."

Deanna's jaw tightened, but she nodded. Eliot gently squeezed her shoulder as Gabe disappeared.

"What was that all about?" Voldemort asked.

"Nothing," Deanna said tightly. "Shall we get started, then?"

The others agreed and the entire group moved to the seats over in one corner. Deanna, Eliot and Harry sat down on one couch, with Harry between his parents. Parker sat perched in the armrest next to Eliot.

Hardison, Sophie and Nate sat on the couch next to them, with Sophie in the middle, and Hardison on the end closest to Parker. Tara sat in the chair next to Deanna, while the three Malfoys were on the couch next to her. Draco was between his parents, with Narcissa on the end by Tara. Voldemort sat in the chair next to Lucius, with Snape in the chair between Voldemort and Nate.

Once everyone was settled, Deanna opened the book to the first chapter and began reading.

**"The Boy Who Lived"**

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursely, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.**

Deanna, Harry and Eliot all raised an eyebrow at that. "Perfectly normal?" Deanna asked in disbelief.

Harry opened his mouth to offer an excuse, but closed it again when he came up with nothing.

"There is absolute nothing normal about that family," Eliot said in disgust. Harry and Deanna agreed.

"You know them?" Draco asked.

The Spencers nodded.

"How?" Narcissa asked. "I thought this was a story about Potter's first year at Hogwarts."

"Based on the chapter title, I'm guessing that this is setting up the background. I'd say shortly after Halloween?" Deanna offered.

"Probably," Harry agreed with a nod.

Deanna and Eliot both sent him reassuring smiles, and Deanna squeezed his knee in comfort. They both knew how much he didn't want people to find out about his treatment at the Dursleys.

He was pretty sure they knew he hadn't told them everything, and he wasn't looking forward to their reactions.

**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**

"What do they mean by that?" Lucius asked. "There are plenty of definitions of those words. What's strange or mysterious to one person may not be strange or mysterious to another."

"Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that the book will explain, Mr. Malfoy," Harry said.

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.**

"Why don't you make a list of things you don't understand and when we have a break, I'll explain?" Harry offered, when he saw Draco opening his mouth to ask what a drill was.

Draco nodded as a notebook and pen appeared in front of him. "What is this?" he asked, bemused.

"That's a pen. It works the same as a quill, only you don't have to worry about sharpening the nub."

Draco still looked confused, but shrugged and wrote down the word. "Hey, this is kinda cool," he said when he saw how easy it was to write with.

Harry sent him a small grin as Deanna continued reading.

**He was a big, beefy man, with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache. Mrs. Dursely was thin and blonde, and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful, as she spent much of her time craning over garden necks, spying on the neighbors.**

"That sounds like Tuney," Snape muttered.

Harry sent him a confused look, but didn't ask. He figured he'd find out soon enough.

**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley, and in their opinion, there was no finer boy anywhere.**

Harry raised another eyebrow. "Are they talking about the same Dudley?"

Deanna chuckled slightly. "Have to be. How many Dudley Dursleys do you know that live at number four Privet Drive."

"True," Harry admitted. "But still. Dudley? A fine boy?"

"What's wrong with him?" Sophie asked.

"You'll see," all three Spencers said.

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.**

"So these are your relatives, Potter?" Snape asked, his eyes narrowed in consideration.

Harry just nodded.

"I thought that woman sounded like Tuney."

"You knew my aunt, too?"

"Yes. I lived down the street from them, and I was the one who told your mother she was a witch."

"Really?"

He nodded. "As I said, your mother was my best friend."

**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years: in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.**

"Still jealous, I see, Tuney," Snape commented. "And, loath though I am to admit it, James Potter was a very good auror once he graduated from Hogwarts. Once Lily agreed to go out with him, he settled down."

Harry was confused when he noticed the faint smirk that crossed Deanna's face, but she continued reading before he could ask.

**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

"A child like what, Mr. Potter?" Narcissa asked.

Harry shrugged. "A wizard," he replied.

"And why didn't they want Dudley mixing with wizarding child?"

Harry didn't answer.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, grey Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

None of them noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window.

"Why is an owl flying past the window during the middle of the day?" Nate asked.

"Is that odd?" Draco asked.

"Very," Tara said. "Most owls are nocturnal. They only come out at night."

"How do you get mail?"

"People deliver it," Harry explained.

"Really? Weird."

"Well, to us, using owls to deliver mail is weird," Hardison said.

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye, but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing cereal at the walls.**

"What a lovely child," Sophie said, making a face.

Narcissa made a matching face, while Parker looked confused.

"Sarcasm, Parker," Eliot said.

"Oh. Okay."

**"Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house.**

Deanna blinked, rereading that sentence.

"Don't bother," Harry suggested. "Dudley has never been a little tyke."

**He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

It was on the corner that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar- a cat reading a map.

"Ten galleons says that's McGonagall," Draco said.

Harry shook his head. "No bet," he said. "I'm not stupid. If there's a cat reading a map, it's got to be McGonagall."

Draco pouted as Deanna continued reading.

**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen- then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light.**

**Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive- No, **_**looking**_** at the sign. Cats couldn't read maps or signs.**

Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove towards town, he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.

But, on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else.

As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.

"I take it that's odd, too?" Draco asked.

Sophie nodded. "We haven't worn cloaks in at least a hundred years. The only time they're worn nowadays is to fancy parties. They aren't worn on a regular basis."

**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes- the get ups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of those weirdoes standing quite close by.**

"And just who are you calling weirdoes, Weirdo?" Draco demanded.

Harry chuckled. "You realize you're talking to a book, right?" he asked.

Draco flushed and fell silent.

**They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it stuck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt- these people were obviously collecting for something… yes, that would be it.**

"Collecting for something?" Lucius asked, one eyebrow raised.

"You know the Statue of Magical Brethren in the Ministry atrium?" Harry asked.

The Malfoys and Snape nodded.

"The money that people throw into the fountain is given to St. Mungos, right? Well, it's kind of like that. In the muggle world, people will sometimes go door to door to collect money for different charities, or hospitals or something. If they really want to make a statement, and attract attention, they'll either dress up, or put on some sort of skit."

**The traffic moved on, and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings car park, his mind back on drills.**

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though the people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead.**

**Most of them had never even seen an owl at night time. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.**

"Hmm. You know, I always wondered what he did at work. I mean, it's a company that makes drills, and it's not as if Vernon would ever work in the factory."

**He was in a very good mood until lunch-time, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the baker's opposite.**

Eliot snorted. "Don't strain yourself there, Dursley," he said, doing that creepy little thing he always did with his eyes that freaked people out.

Deanna, of course, ignored it, although Draco was shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This lot were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-"**

**"-yes, their son, Harry-"**

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead.**

"I wish," Harry muttered with a groan.

**"Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking…**

"That had to hurt," Deanna said with a snort.

**No, he was being stupid.**

"What else is new?" Harry asked with a chuckle.

**Potter wasn't such an unusual name.**

**He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at the mention of her sister. He didn't blame her- if he'd had a sister like that…**

"Oh, yes, because your sister is so much better," Harry muttered.

Deanna and Eliot shot him amused looks.

**But all the same, those people in cloaks…**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon, and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

"He's lucky they didn't crush him," Eliot said.

**"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell.**

"He actually knows how to apologize?" Harry asked, shocked.

**It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said, in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare: "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating this happy, happy day!"**

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

The three Spencers tilted their heads to the side in consideration. "Flitwick, maybe?" Harry suggested. "But how did he manage to hug Vernon?"

Deanna shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe it wasn't him. Maybe it just sounded like him?"

"I can't think of anyone else that it _could_ be," Harry said. "It sounds just like Flitwick."

"That still doesn't answer the question of how he managed to get his arms around Dursley," Eliot said.

"Extension charm, maybe?" Deanna suggested tentatively. "As the Charms Professor, he'd be able to do that, easy."

"Maybe," Harry said.

They thought about it for few more seconds, before Deanna shrugged and returned to the book.

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was.**

**He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

"Now, tha's just sad," Hardison said. "How can you not approve of imagination?"

"Very easily if you're the Dursleys," Harry said.

**As he pulled into the driveway at number four, the first thing he saw- and it didn't improve his mood- was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley, loudly.**

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.**

"Yes, that is definitely Minerva," Snape said with a sneer.

"How?" Tara asked.

"Some wizards and witches can turn into animals," Harry explained. "Professor McGonagall can turn into a tabby cat."

"Really?"

"I want to turn into a cat," Parker said.

"You can't, Parker," Eliot explained patiently. "You're not a witch."

She pouted and went back to playing with his hair.

**Was this normal cat behavior, Mr. Dursley wondered? Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter, and how Dudley had learnt a new word (Shan't).**

"How lovely," Nate said, rolling his eyes.

"Let me guess, once he learned it, he never forgot it?" Sophie asked, looking at Harry.

"Sounds about right," Harry said after thinking it over for a second.

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The news reader allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

"He sounds like he knows something," Lucius said with narrowed eyes.

"Muggleborn, perhaps?" Snape suggested.

"Or has a magical child," Deanna offered.

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman.**

"My sister married a muggleborn named Ted," Narcissa said. "I don't recall exactly what she said he did, but I believe it had something to do with reporting. It's possible that this Ted is her husband. In that case, he would know exactly what's going on with all of the owls."

**"I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain that I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early- It's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

The four Slytherins shook their heads with sneers. "People were careless," Snape said.

"Very," Lucius agreed.

"Yes, they believed that the war was over, but that was no excuse for them to be so careless," Narcissa added. "Can you imagine? On the night that our Lord was defeated, the Wizarding world was revealed to the Muggles."

All of the wizards and both witches shuddered. "That would have been horrible," Deanna agreed.

"Absolutely," Harry said.

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters… Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously.**

**"Er- Petunia, dear- you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

"Lily did, too, once Petunia turned eighteen and moved out," Deanna said.

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls… shooting stars… and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…"**

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought… maybe… it was something to do with… you know… her lot."**

"Her lot?" Narcissa asked. "What does he mean by that?"

"Magical people," Harry said.

Narcissa pursed her lips and motioned for Deanna to continue.

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips.**

Narcissa blinked and unpursed her lips as the others laughed at the expression on her face.

**Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter'.**

**He decided he didn't dare. Instead, he said, as casually as he could, "Their son- he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's his name again? Howard isn't it?"**

**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

"Oh, yes, because Dudley is so much better," Tara said, rolling her eyes.

"They had an older brother named Harry," Snape said. "Both girls were close to him."

"I have another uncle?" Harry asked, surprised.

"He was in the military and died overseas. Tuney was devastated."

Harry's face fell. He would have liked to get to know his uncle.

"I may have a picture," Snape offered when he saw Harry's disappointment.

"Really?" Harry asked, perking up a little.

"Perhaps. I know I saw one, at least. If I can't find it, I can show you the memory."

Harry grinned.

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it was waiting for something.**

**Was he imagining things?**

"I thought he didn't approve of imagination," Hardison said.

**Could this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… if it got out that they were related to a pair of- well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

"It's not like Lily and James wanted to be related to you, either," Deanna said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Lily cried when she found out that her sister was marrying that fat ass."

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly, but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind…**

"Yes, they did," Deanna growled, glaring at the book. "You both made that perfectly clear when you threw them out of your wedding reception. Lily was inconsolable."

**He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on. He yawned and turned over. It couldn't affect them…**

**How very wrong he was.**

"Oh, how I wish he weren't," Harry said with a sad sigh.

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness.**

**It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when the two owls swooped overhead.**

**In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground.**

"We sure Parker ain't a witch?" Hardison asked.

The blonde stuck her tongue out at him while Eliot and Deanna chuckled.

**The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt.**

"Why would you want to do that?" Sophie asked with a grimace that was matched by the look on Narcissa's face.

**He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots.**

"High-heeled?" Hardison asked, making a face at the image.

"Is he having gender identity issues?" Nate asked.

"He's having issues, all right," Snape said with a sneer.

**His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.**

"Ten galleons says he knew, but just didn't care," Harry said.

"Definitely," Snape agreed. "He never cares that he isn't welcome somewhere."

"Speaking from experience, Severus?" Lucius asked, an amused grin on his face.

Snape just glared at his friend.

**He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

**He had found what he was looking for in his inside pocket.**

**It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.**

"That could really come in handy," Eliot commented.

"Yeah," Deanna agreed. "We'll have to see if we can find it after we destroy him."

**He clicked it again- the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left in the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him.**

**If anyone looked out of their window now, even the beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat.**

**He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead, he was smiling at a rather severe looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

**"You'd be stiff too if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

"Why was she sitting there all day?" Deanna asked, her eyes narrowed.

She and Eliot exchanged glances over Harry's head. Something wasn't adding up here. And if it was what they thought, then Dumbledore was in even more trouble than he already was.

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**"Oh, yes, everyone's celebrating all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no- even the Muggles noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls… shooting stars… Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent- I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We'e had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

"Really? Eleven years?" Nate asked.

"More, if you count all the behind-the-scenes maneuvering, plotting and planning I did," Voldemort said. "But eleven years of outright warfare."

"That sounds horrible," Sophie said. "When was this exactly?"

"Nineteen eighty-four to nineteen ninety-five," Snape said.

"Wait, were all of those strange disasters and unexplained deaths because of the war?"

"Yes," Narcissa admitted.

"How did- How did you cover it all up?"

"Magic can do a lot of things, Sophie," Deanna said. "It can make you forget."

The other five members of Eliot's team looked ill at the idea.

**"I know that," said Professor McGongall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on: "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all."**

It was Snape, Lucius and Narcissa's turn to look rather ill, as they realized they had said the same thing as McGonagall.

Deanna, Eliot and Harry laughed at the expression on their faces.

**"I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbet lemon?"**

**"A what?"**

**"A sherbet lemon. They are a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

"I don't think I've heard of sherbet lemons," Hardison said.

"Lemon drops," Eliot clarified.

"Oh. Why didn't he just say that?"

"We call them sherbet lemons here in Britain," Sophie said.

Hardison looked pacified, although Parker was looking confused.

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for sherbet lemons.**

**"As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone-"**

"You-Know-Who?" Hardison asked. "Who the hell is You-Know-Who?"

Harry was the only one who noticed Deanna shifting uncomfortably in her seat, and frowned at her slightly, as Voldemort spoke up.

"I am," Voldemort said.

"That's a stupid moniker," Nate said. "What if someone doesn't know who the other person is talking about?"

"In Wizarding Britain, and quite a few other magical communities, specifically Canada, the United States, and most of Europe, our Lord was the only one who was called that," Lucius said.

"How did that start?" Tara asked.

"The name Voldemort became so synonymous with terror and torture and horror that no one wanted to even say that. I would imagine that the Prophet was probably the first to give him the moniker, but once it was there, it became so ingrained in people that they still call him that and shiver in fear whenever someone calls him by name instead," Harry said.

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense- for eleven years, I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."**

All of the Slytherins aside from Voldemort himself shuddered.

"Told you," Harry muttered as Voldemort raised his eyebrow at him and his family. He shrugged. "Deanna and I are the only wizards. She's American, and I've never had a problem saying your name."

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was un-sticking two sherbet lemons, seemed not to notice.**

**"It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who'. I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**

**"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half-exasperated, half-admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort- was frightened of."**

"Frightened, no," Voldemort corrected. "Wary of, yes. Something about that man has always rubbed me the wrong way."

"Don't blame you," Eliot said. "I've never actually met the man, but what I've heard is enough to give me nightmares."

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

**"Only because you're too- well- noble to use them."**

Deanna, Eliot and the Slytherins snorted.

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

The Hogwarts students and alumni shuddered at the thought.

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold hard wall all day, for neither as a cat, nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now.**

**It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer.**

**"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are- are- that they're dead."**

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**"Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…"**

"I didn't realize she cared so much," Harry said with a frown. "She's never said anything to me about it. Hagrid was the only one who really talked to me about my parents in my first two years. Even then, I didn't learn very much until third year."

"Potter was one of her favorite students," Snape said with a sneer. "How do you think he and Black were never expelled for all the stunts they pulled during school?"

Harry's frown turned into a glare. "Just so you know, Snape, I yelled at Siri for what he and James had done during school. They were bullies, and I told him that."

"He moped around the house for weeks after that conversation," Eliot said with a laugh. "It was amusing."

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know… I know…" he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But- he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke- and that's why he's gone."**

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's- it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done… all the people he's killed… he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding… of all the things to stop him… but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

"Do either of you remember anything?" Draco asked, curiously.

"I don't remember anything, which is odd. I should at least remember going to Godric's Hollow, but I don't even remember that," Voldemort said with narrowed eyes.

"Yes," Harry said shortly. "But I don't want to talk about it. You'll find out eventually, I imagine, considering I'm sure these books are written in my point of view."

The others nodded and Deanna continued reading.

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took out a watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands, but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

Deanna's eyes narrowed sharply, but she didn't say anything.

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

"Liar!" Harry exclaimed.

"He doesn't know about me," Deanna said. "As far as he knows, Petunia is your only living relative."

Harry sank back into his seat with a huff.

**"You don't mean- you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore- you can't! I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son- I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

"Good to know someone realized how horrible of an idea that was," Deanna growled.

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

"A letter?" Harry repeated incredulously. "He left me on their doorstep with nothing but a letter?"

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous- a legend- I wouldn't be surprised if today is known as Harry Potter Day in the future- there will be books written about Harry- every child in our world will know his name!"**

"It isn't, is it?" Harry asked, horrified.

"Well, seeing as how the book we're reading is called _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_, I'd say that's a yes," Draco said with a smirk.

"Huh? Oh, no, I knew that. I meant the-" He shuddered. "-Harry Potter Day."

"It was proposed to the Wizengamot," Lucius said. "However, not only did the paperwork disappear, all of those in favor of the idea mysteriously lost all memory of it."

"Thank you," Harry said fervently.

Deanna chuckled and continued reading.

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed and then said, "Yes- yes, you're right, of course."**

"And here I thought she sounded like a sensible woman," Eliot said, disappointed.

"I don't get it," Tara said. "Wouldn't it be better to grow up with a family who understood what was going on? They'd be able to explain what happened, while keeping him grounded. He'd have time to get used to being in the spotlight, instead of suddenly being thrust into it."

"Oh, I think it was more of a 'until Dumbledore is ready to take it' thing," Deanna said scathingly.

**"But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

**"Hagrid's bringing him."**

**"You think it- wise- to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

**"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

Harry shuddered. "Not necessarily a good thing," he said, thinking about Fluffy, Norbert, Argog, the blast ended skrewts, and Gwarp.

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "But you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to- What was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky- and a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

**If the motorbike was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild- long tangles of busy black hair and a beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast muscular arms, he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorbike?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, Sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, Sir."**

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, Sir- house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we were flyin' over Bristol."**

Deanna narrowed her eyes again. "And just how long does it take to fly from Wales to Surrey?" she asked.

Harry cocked his head to the side with a frown. "You know, that's a good question. It only took me and Ron about seven hours to fly from Kings Cross to Hogwarts. It shouldn't have taken over twenty-four hours for Hagrid to fly from Godric's Hollow to Privet Drive."

"Something isn't adding up here," Narcissa agreed.

"When did you fly from London to Hogwarts?" Eliot asked.

Snape glared and Harry ducked his head with a sheepish grin. "Oh, uh. Beginning of second year. It'll be in the next book."

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead, they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

**"Is that where-?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in useful. I have one myself above my left knee, which is a perfect map of the London Underground."**

Everyone in the room shuddered, not wanting that image in their heads, although Deanna and Eliot did exchange looks that were undecipherable to everyone else.

**"Well- give him here, Hagrid- we'd better get this over with."**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned towards the Dursley's house.**

**"Could I- could I say goodbye to him, Sir?" asked Hagrid.**

**He bent his great shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss.**

**Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall. "You'll wake the Muggles!"**

"Oh, yes, worry about waking the muggles, not the fifteen month old baby," Deanna muttered.

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it- Lily an' James dead- an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles-"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets and then came back to the other two. For a full minute, the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice. "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall- Professor Dumbledore, Sir."**

"I wonder what happened to that bike, anyway," Harry said.

"Siri and I were working on fixing it up for you," Eliot said. "It was going to be your birthday present this year, along with one of us teaching you how to ride."

"I'm also going to teach you how to drive my baby," Deanna said. "Although you're not starting out in her." She gave him a mock glare. "I didn't even let Sammy learn to drive in her."

Harry laughed. He knew how anal Deanna was about her Impala.

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar, it rose into the air and off into the night.**

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street.**

**He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen.**

**Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley…**

**He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter- the Boy-Who-Lived."**


End file.
